Processor-controlled electronic systems are customarily provided with auxiliary card slots, that allow a user to augment the functionality of a base system with the installation of one or more daughtercards. Non-limiting examples include additional memory, printer cards, fax/modem cards, graphics accelerator cards, game cards, and the like. Now although these components serve to enhance or expand the original computer system with one or more additional operational or application features, they do not, nor are they intended to, effectively modify the hardware functionality of the base system. The base information processing system still performs all of its previous functions. Where modification of the hardware functionality of the base processing system is desired, it is customary practice to provide an upgrade of the base system software installed on the motherboard, coupled with installation, or replacement, of whatever hardware is associated with the new software. It goes without saying that such a conventional approach to system modification is undesirably labor-intensive, time-consuming and costly.